Breathless
by Whiskey2011
Summary: With the war finally over, the GAang has no choice but to confront feelings that they had hid away during their travels. I'm not good at summaries, sorry. This is ZUTARA!
1. The Library

Breathless - A Zutarra Fanfic

Chapter 1- The Library

*This takes place the morning after the final battle between Aang and Ozai*

**Katara**

"Ouch," that was the first thought I had, blinking in the bright sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. It was nice of Zuko to give us each a room in the palace and everything, but these beds were just too soft. We were all so used to either sleeping on the rough ground, or in Appa's saddle as he floated through the sky, that just one night on one of the palace's luxurious beds was pure torture. Sure it's warm enough, but I was just so used to the feeling of solid ground beneath me, that I almost couldn't stand the feel of the cushion-y bed.

I flung the covers off myself and sat up, stretching towards the ornate ceiling. Yawning hugely I swung my legs off the bed and hopped down onto the cold marble floor. I did a few more stretches, bending low to the ground to touch my fingers to the floor before I headed over to the large dresser situated in the corner of the extravagant room.

I still could not believe where I was staying. After a year of hardly ever sleeping in a bed, I was now in the biggest bedroom I have ever seen in my whole life. The floor was a deep red marble, with intricate designs of golden dragons flying around with delicate sweeping wings, and long curling tails. The walls were also a dark red color, but a few shades lighter then the floor, and the large windows were covered with thick golden drapes that were open just a crack, letting the room be filled with a warm, soft light. I continued over to the dresser and pawed through the elegant kimonos that were stored behind its large golden doors, there were also matching slippers for each outfit, not to mention a jewel encrusted box tucked away in the corner that upon opening I found to be filled with hair ribbons in every imaginable color.

"This is just too much" I thought to myself. I had a feeling that at any moment I was going to wake up in a tent between Toph and Sokka, and that we were still on our way to the fire nation to stop a demented man from using the powers of Sozin's Comet to burn down the Earth Kingdom. I turned and looked at myself in the full length mirror mounted on the wall next to the dresser.

"No" I thought, "Those scrapes and bruises on your body are real...this is real." I could feel tears of relief, joy, and utter bliss sliding down my cheeks at the thought that this wasn't a dream, and that the fighting was finally over. Suddenly I wasn't tired anymore, I felt invigorated. I pulled out a dark red kimono with a white silk sash a dressed in record time. I slipped on a pair of snow white slippers and tied my heavy hair back with a red ribbon as I slowly strolled over to the window. I flung the curtains wide, bathing myself in the buttery light of a new day.

If at all possible the view that I had over the grounds of the palace had me more impressed then the room did. My window overlooked a small garden filled with fragrant flowers. There was even a clear little pond just beyond a pair of oak trees. There were five little turtle-ducklings splashing around in the cool water, their mother swam alongside occasionally nipping affectionately at them. I leaned against the window and took in the beautiful scenery before me. There were little birds flitting from branch to branch in the oak trees that filled the garden, and happy bumblebees hummed lazily from flower to flower.

"Today is going to be amazing" I thought to myself, "I just can't believe the war is over" I began to think back the end of the battle.

After that final battle we flew straight back to the Fire Nation, bringing along with us the unconscious forms of Ozai and Azula, (we had all decided that Ozai should not be the only one to lose his bending, and Aang performed the same thing on Ozai's psychotic daughter.) No body spoke the whole way there, we were afraid that this wasn't real, and that speaking would plunge us into a reality where nothing had turned out the way that we had wanted it to. We reached the capitol and hauled our prisoners up to some high-security prison. Zuko was the most stunned, he had just became Fire Lord, and when the guards started to bow to him, and offered to contact the Sages for us Zuko looked like he was ready to faint. I could barely process what was going on, we were all so exhausted. Toph couldn't stay awake on the ride to the palace, and fell asleep in my lap. I leaned my head on Zuko's shoulder, and he rested his head in my hair. Suki was draped across Sokka who was talking with Aang, trying to keep the both of them awake. When we finally reached the palace, surprisingly enough, not one of us went to bed. Zuko called over a fleet of servants and had each of them draw each one of us a steaming bath. It was the most relaxing soak I've ever had. They washed and combed my hair, then dressed me in soft under-wrappings, making sure to care for my many scrapes, bruises, and burns from my fight with Azula. I actually don't remember ever walking to my room, I have a vague memory of some guard picking me up, but I must have fallen asleep in his arms, and he brought my to my bed.

Looking out onto the grounds I finally realized something. It is not morning! It looks to be late afternoon.

"I must have slept for... fourteen, fifteen, maybe even sixteen hours" I muttered to myself, I have never slept that long before. I heaved a big sigh, and decided that I would probably faint if I didn't get something to eat soon. With all the glamour of staying in a palace, I didn't even notice that my stomach sounded like a rabid Saber-Tooth-Moose-Lion. I stepped over to the large gaudy doors, pulled the long golden handle, and stepped out into a hallway adorned with paintings of dragons, and nobles, and beautiful landscape paintings that left me breathless. I stood in front of one painting that was particularly beautiful. It was a fiery red dragon releasing a jet of white flame. The dragon was elegant, and yet fierce at the same time, dangerous and gentle. It was the most beautiful painting I had ever seen. I slowly made my way through the hallway gazing at the paintings that surrounded me.

Soon the hallway opened up into a bright open room. Their were ten identical hallways leading to this room, and a huge ornate double door way directly in front of me. The spacious room was also filled with furniture. There was a low table with puffy red cushions surrounding it. There were also large cushy chairs everywhere. And at the low table there was a large buffet laid out, and in the chairs sat all of my friends stuffing their faces with the hearty food, as if they had never before eaten in their entire life, and each of them were wearing some of the finest robes that I had ever laid eyes on.

"Morning Katara!" Toph said in a sleepy voice.

The others turned to look at me with tired, but content, smiles. Sokka and Suki were curled up together in the same chair sharing from a plate heaped with steaming foods. Toph was sitting cross legged on another chair digging into her food with gusto. Aang was sitting on his knees on the floor, his plate, piled high with fruits and vegetables, was setting on the seat of one chair, he glanced at me waving, with a warm smile on his face, I gave him a wave and a smile back. And Zuko had his legs flung over one arm of a wide chair, his back against the other arm, with a large bowl filled with every food imaginable, on his lap. I smiled at them all and bounded toward the buffet. Piling my plate high with everything that smelled even remotely good, I spun around to look for a place to sit. All of the seats had been taken, noticing this Zuko smiled and waved me over to him. He swung his legs off the chair and patted the spot beside him.

"Thank you" I whispered when I sat down next to him

"No problem" He whispered back

We both leaned back into the cushy chair and propped our feet up on a nearby table at the same time, and we smiled at each other and our similar actions. We both looked back to our plates and began to eat our food in comfortable silence. The food was incredible, and was also piping hot, it felt good in my empty stomach, and soon my plate was empty. As soon as everybody had finished one plate, they darted back up to the table for more. Every one was in such a happy mood, even Zuko was cheery enough to tease me and bump his elbow into mine while we were eating. Each time he did I would glare at him, but he would just smile and chuckle at me, amused by my attempted anger, and turn his attention back to his food.

When everybody had had their fill, Zuko waved over a pair of servants who cleared away our dishes, and the little food we left untouched. We all stretched and sighed in contentment, glad to be able to finally relax.

"So are we just going to sit here all day, or are we going to actually do something?" Toph complained

"Oh come on Toph, we just got done fighting a war! I think we deserve some time to relax." Sokka said sleepily, Suki nodded her head enthusiastically curling closer to Sokka's shoulder, and wrapping her arms around his waist. Sokka blushed but held her tighter.

"We slept all day long! I'm bored. We should do something." Toph griped

"Can you show us around the palace Zuko?" Aang questioned. Zuko squirmed uncomfortably beside me, and sunk lower into the seat his head resting against my arm, Aang's eyes narrowed slightly at the contact.

"I don't know Aang..." Zuko mumbled

"Oh come on Zuko! Please?" I pouted. I jutted out my lower lip and batted my eyes at him, he smirked at me but gave in. He sighed and slowly rose from the chair and held out his hand to help me up. Aang's eyes narrowed to slits as I took hold of his warm hand and allowed Zuko to pull me up out of the chair. He smiled for a moment as he held on lightly to my hand, I felt a blush beginning to cover my cheeks and he smirked at me again. He released my hand and walked over to the giant double-doors. Nobody had noticed our quiet exchange except for Aang who walked over to me and laced his arm through mine, and I couldn't help but feel a little angry at his reaction. There was no reason for Aang to get jealous, there was nothing going on between me and Zuko. I mean, come on! This is Zuko we're talking about, he was a friend, a friend who I used to completely hate! What would be going on between us? I rolled my eyes at the thought. But I couldn't concentrate on that anymore, because Zuko had opened those gorgeous doors, revealing the room beyond.

**Zuko**

"I don't know Aang..." I muttered as I sunk lower into my chair, resting my head on Katara's warm shoulder. Why was he asking me to show him around? I hate this place, the last thing I wanna do is take them around and show them where I was "raised."

"Oh come on Zuko! Please?" Katara pouted. I looked up at her, her lower lip was trembling slightly as she batted her eyes at me. I smirked up at her.

"She knows how to get what she wants doesn't she" I thought to myself. I sighed then slowly heaved myself up out of the chair. I looked back down at Katara and offered my hand. She reached out and wrapped her long slender fingers around my mine. I saw Aang's eyes narrow as I pulled Katara up towards me. She glanced up at my eyes and I couldn't help but smile as she blushed lightly.

"What exactly am I doing?" I thought to myself as Aang came over to Katara to place his arm through hers. I saw her roll her eyes and I knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Why is Aang acting so jealous?" I thought, "Me and Katara? Yeah right!" I rolled my eyes along with her, and led the small group over to the double doors. I pulled open the heavy doors and smiled as I saw the look of wonder cross Katara.

Toph hopped out of her seat and let out a low whistle.

"This place is really big" I heard her mutter, I was still so amazed at Toph's abilities that it took me a moment to reply;

"Yeah, this is the main hall past these doors" I told the group. I looked over to Sokka and Suki, but they were still cuddled up in that chair. Sokka noticed my questioning glance and waved us on ahead.

"We'll catch up with you guys later" Sokka said

"Yeah, way later" Suki chimed in, causing Sokka's face to turn bright red. I rolled my eyes at the couple and led Toph, Aang, and Katara through the main hall. Katara and Aang began to "Oo" and "Ah" at the extravagant palace as I took them through each of the wings of the palace, as Toph kept commenting on the size of the place.

"This is the most beautiful place I have ever been to." Katara mentioned as we passed yet another hallway adorned with paintings of the Royal Family.

"I don't know" Aang stated, "I think the Southern Air Temple is the coolest place we've been to." But Katara wasn't paying any attention to the bald monk, she was standing front of a portrait of a young boy. Me.

"Zuko?" Katara questioned.

"Yeah." I reluctantly answered.

"This is you" She said in a soft voice.

"Yeah, it is." I muttered. I couldn't understand why she was so interested in that picture. "It was painted almost a week before." Katara just nodded, knowing what I was referring to, Aang however either didn't remember, or was trying to make me angry for being in such close proximity to HIS Katara during breakfast (or a late lunch considering that it was very late in the day).

"Painted a week before what?" Aang said in a bored voice.

"Aang! How could you be so inconsiderate?" Katara turned on him, her eyes blazing. It was actually really funny to see Katara turning on Aang like that, and watching him cower before her. It wasn't like anything the boy said would hurt my feelings. I had gotten a really good grip on my anger since the fight with Azula, since Katara had saved my life, since the war had ended, I could keep my cool no matter what he said, no matter what anyone said.

I smirked at him and said "Before I realized that my father hated me." Katara looked back at me, her eyes comforting. I loved when she gave me that look. Not many people in my life had really cared for me, but she was one of the few that really did. Ever since I took her to go find that evil man who had stolen her mother away from her, we had become very close. We were like family now, she was like the sister that I should of had. Though I did have trouble thinking of her as my sister, it wasn't exactly like that, but we were close.

Aang looked down abashed and muttered faintly "Sorry Zuko." Katara still towered over him, but began to back off as Toph started to laugh.

"Man! I am never bored around you guys." She snorted through her laughter. I smiled along with Toph, and soon Katara and even Aang jonied in.

"Alright, moving on with the grand tour" I said sarcatically. I turned and led them to the next room. When I opened the door Katara let out a high pitched squeal, Aang, Toph, and I all covered our ears. Katara kept screeching and ran into the room.

"You didn't tell me that you had a library Zuko." Katara grinned at me. I was just happy that she had stopped her high pitched assault on my ears. I smiled back at her and she turned and ran into the depths of the library.

"You had better make yourself comfortable Zuko, we're gonna be hear a while" Aang smirked. Katara rushed back at us a pile of heavy books in her arms,

"You guys don't have to wait, I'll could spend all day in here" Katara said to us as she rushed to the other side of the vast library.

"The only part of the palace we haven't been to is the grounds Katara! Come on we're almost done, I wanna go earth bend" Toph complained.

"Yeah me too!" Aang chimed in.

"Wow" I thought to myself, these two have no patience. Aang and Toph were practically jumping out of their skin. "Why don't you two go ahead, and I'll wait here with Katara" I offered. Aang's eyes immediately narrowed again as he began to glare at me. But before Aang could say no, Toph grabbed him by the arm and drug him out the door,

"Thanks Zuko!" Toph called over her shoulder. I smiled at the thought of Toph dragging Aang all the way to the immense rounds outside. I was still smirking as a turned aroundto go look for Katara. The library was so huge, and it had been so long since I had been in here that I soon lost myself in the labyrinth of the towering shelves. I wandered around corner after corner but still I couldn't find her. The smell of musty old books was comforting, however, and the drapes to the huge windows were closed, so the vast room was dim and shadowy. This was actually the nicest room they had visited, I forgot how much I used to love to hide out in the library. Nobody ever thought to look for me in here, not even Azula. Thinking about Azula made me think of recent stressful events, images of the fight with Azula began to flash through my mind. I didn't try to fight them off, that is until I remembered Azula's eyes darting away from me as she directed her lightning towards Katara. She had never asked me why I had jumped in front of her, but the truth is I couldn't stand the thought of Katara being hurt. That was one reason that I had agreed to the Agni Kai in the first place, because I didn't want Azula to hurt her. I kept thinking about the fiery duel as a turned a corner and found Katara curled up in a small windowed alcove, a stack of books on the floor beside her. She had taken out the red ribbon holding back her heavy dark hair, and it framed her slender face like curtains. Her blue eyes were bright as the flicked back and forth across the pages of the book she had in her lap. The soft afternoon light was streaming in through the small window, throwing half of her face in shadow, while one side was bathed in buttery warmth. She is so beautiful, the very sight of her like that left me breathless.

"What am I doing?" I thought to myself, "This is KATARA, I'm thinking about right now, my friend, one of the few people who could beat me up if she really tried, was I really just thinking about how beautiful she is?" Katara glanced up at me with a warm smile and soft eyes, interupting my silent contemplation, and I felt a blush starting to stain my cheeks.

**Katara**

I felt so at home in this library. As I wandered quickly through the maze of shelves, plucking out any book that looked interesting, I turned a corner and found a sweet little alcove with a window overlooking a small garden. This library was so perfect and beautiful that I just couldn't believe that this wasn't a dream. It was so big, I probably couldn't find the exit without some one leading the way, and it didn't help that most of the curtains were closed, shrouding everything in shadows. But the dim light, along with the seemingly endless shelves made everything better, a library should always feel the way that this one felt. I walked over to the alcove, setting down the heavy pile of books on the floor next to the cuchioned seat, and sat down, my back against the wall. I gazed out of the window, watching the sun set behind the trees of the garden. It was just so peacful here. I reached up and pulled out the ribbon that was holding my hair up, and shook out my hair around me. It felt good to let my hair loose, I relaxed against the wall, then picked up a book from the top of the pile, flipped it open, and began to read. It was a story about a betrothed woman who didn't love her intended. Soon the woman fell in love with another man, who turned out to be her betrothed's best friend. I was just to the part where the woman was trying to confess her love for the man when I noticed that I wasn't alone any more. I looked up and saw a pair of shining golden eyes.

I smiled up at Zuko, and noticed the faint blush that covered his cheeks...I smiled wider. I don't really know why, but I love seeing Zuko blush. I think it's because he always acts like he is so tough in front of everybody. I like seeing him look so vulnerable and human.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you" Zuko said quietly, he was still blushing and staring down at the floor instead of meeting my eyes.

"You're not bothering me Zuko, I mean this IS your library." I said chuckling.

"Well you're the only one who has found any use for it" Zuko teased finally raising his gaze to my eyes. I smiled even wider at him, and he returned it with a smile that was just as warm.

"I could spend forever in this library, I really like it here Zuko, this palace is so beautiful. ." I told him, my gaze being drawn back to the beauriful garden beyond the window.

"Yeah" I heard him murrmur, "Beautiful." My gaze flicked back to him, and I felt my face turn pink as I realized that he wasn't looking at the garden beyond the window, he was looking at me. Our eyes met. I expected him to look away, but he didn't. Our eyes were locked onto eachother, and we were lost in eachother's gazes. I don't know how long we stayed like that...it could have been years, but soon Zuko started to walk towards me, our eyes never moving from eachothers. He kept moving forward until he was standing right beside me. He hesitantly reach out his hand, and swept my hair back, away from my face. His fingers grazed my face as he tucked a loose curl behind my ear. My skin burned where he had touched me, and I realized that I was blushing madly. He had opened his mouth and said.

"Katara" His voice sent shivers down my spine. It was like he was caressing my name, not just speaking it. He seemed like he was about to speak again, but what he was going to say, I don't know. We were soon interrupted by Aang's angry voice.

"Katara! Zuko! Are you guys still in here!" His voice made me jump a foot in the air, and Zuko lept back as if he had been shocked. We glanced at eachother but quickly looked away, both of us blushing furiously.

"What is going on?" I thought to myself "Were we just... Did he...was I...?" I had no idea what to think about what had just occurred. "This is ZUKO I'm thinking about, there is nothing going on between ME and HIM. I mean this is Zuko! He has Mai, and I have Aang. There is nothing going on."

"What's going on?" Aang asked as he and Toph turned a corner and found us.

"Nothing!" Zuko and I shouted at the same time.

**Zuko**

"Sorry I didn't mean to bother you." I said softly. I shouldn't have interrupted her reading, she looked so peaceful.

"You're not bothering me Zuko, I mean this IS your library" She said laughing softly

"Well you're the only one who has found any use for it" I teased her, she smiled widely at me and I couldn't help but give her a warm smile back

"I could spend forever in this library, I really like it here Zuko, this palace is so beautiful. ." She said quietly, her gaze returning to the garden just beyond the window. I couldn't help but stare at her, her face was bathed in the warm afternoon light.

"Yeah" I murrmured, "Beautiful" Her eyes darted back to mine, and she blushed realizing that I wasn't talking about the garden. Our eyes locked, and neither of us could look away. I think we stayed lost in eachother's eyes for years. Suddenly, I couldn't stand it, I had to move closer to her. It was like I couldn't control what I was doing, those blue eyes of her's just pulled me in deeper. Soon I was standing right beside her, and still her eyes held mine. I tentatively reached out my hand to sweep her hair back, so I could get a better look at her face. And she began to to blush furiously as my fingers trailed gently across her cheek as I tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

"Katara," I whispered gently. She shivered at the sound of my voice, and blushed even more deeply.

"Katara! Zuko! Are you guys still in here!" Aang's voice made us both jump up ten feet in the air,and I swiftly backed away from Katara as Aang and Toph turned a corner and found us.

"What's going on?" Aang asked us

"Nothing" Katara and I yelled. Aang's eyes narrowed suspiciously, he could tell what was going on. But what was going on? Katara and I are just friends, what was I thinking? I brushed her hair back, that was all I did. Well, that and stare at her for who knows how long, but she stared at me to! I was so confued, I didn't know what to do or say, or how to act. I glanced at Katara to find her looking at me to, we both looked away, both of our faces were deep red.

"What the hell was I doing!" I screamed at myself, "I have Mai, and she has Aang. Not that that has anything do do with what just happened. Why am I feeling like I just cheated on Mai? We weren't doing anything! This is Katara. We are friends and nothing more." I scolded myself.

Katara and I still wouldn't look at eachother.

"You guys are lying!" Toph said in a sing-song voice.

"What!" Katara and I shouted at her. "We weren't doing anything" I explained to Toph, "Katara was just telling me about the book she was reading" I said nervously

"That's right!" Katara agreed quickly, nodding her head

"Sure thing Sugar-Queen" Toph said sarcastically, "You and Hot-Head weren't doing a thing" she said through her laughter. Aang looked at her, then back at me, then Katara. He looked really angry, and really hurt too.

"Fine" he said stiffly. He turned on his heels on walked quickly back the way he had came. Toph and I ran to catch up with him, and Katara sprung up out of her seat and followed us. After several minutes of turning corners in the vast labyrinth of towering shelves we walked out of the door to find Aang pacing back and forth just past the opened library doors.

"I think we should leave" Aang said while he paced.

"Leave?" Toph said questioningly

"Where do you want to go?" Katara asked as she quirked an eyebrow

"I think we should go back to Ba Sing Se" Aang said as he finally stopped pacing and looked at Katara with cold eyes

"You mean LEAVE leave? Like, leave the Fire Nation? For how long?" Katara asked her voice shrill and angry

"For a while. I think we should move there, the land is under the control of the Order of the White Lotus, and they could use our help." Aang said icily

"And when do you think we should leave?" Katara asked in a low and dangerous voice

"We have had plenty of rest, I think we should pack our things and move on tonight...right now." Aang said angrily. There was a lound crack that left Aang's head turned to the right, a pink handprint on his cheek. We all stared, shocked at Katara's violent outburst. Katara spun on her heels and ran away from all of us.


	2. Shadows

Chapter 2 - Shadows

*I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM*

A/N- Sorry for taking so long! I have got so much going on right now, that I barely have time to write anything, though some of what is happening is entirely my fault (Hey! Frisbee Golf is just to fun to pass up!). Thanks for sticking with me! I am dedicating this chapter of Breathless to people who have liked my story so far, Densharr, EmmileeLambert, sokkantylee, and vballkid13, your kind words have kept me motivated! Thank You!

**Katara**

Anger ripped through me, so much so that I thought I might burst. Aang wanting to leave had absolutely nothing to do with The Order of The White Lotus needing help in Ba Sing Se. I could see it in his eyes so clearly, this was about Zuko. Aang had somehow gotten it into his head that there was something going on between Zuko and I. And so what if there was! Did I suddenly _belong_ to Aang? Sure I knew his feelings toward me, and I had been trying to sort out my feelings for him, but I could do whatever I damn well please, and who is HE to tell me otherwise!

"And when do you think we should leave?" I asked him in a dangerously low voice

"We have had plenty of rest, I think we should pack our things and move on tonight...right now." Aang said angrily. I couldn't stand it any more, I had a sudden urge to wipe that angry look right off of his face.

So I did.

My hand whipped out and made contact with his cheek...hard. I heard Zuko and Toph gasp but I did not see them. All I saw was that I had wiped that look off of Aang's face, and I could not be more pleased with myself right now. I spun on my heels and ran from him, ran from them all. I ran back the way we had came, through the main hall, through those giant golden double doors (I noticed vaguely that Sokka and Suki were napping together on that same chair they were on during breakfast), through the hall directly in front of me, and through the door to my room. I slammed the door and let out a heavy sigh.

My hand still stung from slapping Aang, but I wasn't really thinking about that. I walked across that red marble floor, to my giant luxurious bed and flopped down onto the covers. I heaved another heavy sigh, and fell back onto the bed, my arm coming up to my face to cover my eyes.

"I shouldn't have slapped him" I muttered to myself. I mean sure, Aang deserved to be hit for treating me that way, but he IS my best friend, so it probably wasn't a very good idea.

I felt my anger begin to slowly ebb away. I groaned and rolled over on the bed, burying my face in the silken covers.

"Aang can be really immature sometimes" I thought to myself. Of course my violent retaliation wasn't very mature either. My anger faded and was replaced by a fresh, strong wave of guilt. I stayed buried in the covers for several minutes, wallowing in the waves of guilt that were washing over me.

"I probably really hurt his feelings..." My eyes flew open as I realized that Aang was only angry at me in the first place because he thought Zuko and I had some sort of relationship, and that slapping him in the face was probably just reinforcing this idea. I pushed myself off of the bed, hopped down onto the floor, and headed back towards my bedroom door.

"I should apologize" I thought, "Though he owes me an apology as well" I continued to myself.

Just as I reached out to grasp the shining handle, I froze. If I went out and apologized now, Aang is going to want to talk about why we were angry. I could NOT deal with that right now. If Aang asks me about our relationship, I will have no idea what to tell him. He'll accuse me of liking Zuko more than I should, and ask me if we have some sort of relationship going on behind his back.

"I'm just not sure" I whispered to the door. I sunk down on the floor, put my back to the door, wrapped my arms around my knees, and buried my face in my arms. I could feel tears of frustration beginning to form at the corners of my closed eyes.

"I need to sort through my feelings once and for all." I decided.

I love Aang. I really do. I'm just not sure if it is the kind of love that he wants...I like to be with him, he is usually so sunny and care-free. But is that what I want? Aang acts like he is a five year-old a lot of the time, instead of a thirteen year-old. I'm still only fifteen, but I hardly ever act like HIM. I'm always trying to take care of everyone, to be the 'voice of reason.' Maybe I just need someone who is more mature like me, somebody who still knows how to be sunny, but knows when to stop acting like a child...Someone like Zuko, sure he is only seventeen, but he is so mature.

My head shot up out of my arms at that last thought.

"Wait, did I really just think that I need someone like Zuko?" I whispered anxiously. My head started to spin, and my stomach started to churn. Suddenly I felt really dizzy, really breathless.

"Why did I just think that!" I muttered to myself. There is absolutely nothing going on with me and Zuko...Right? My thoughts went back to that moment in library. That moment where I was suddenly drowning in his golden gaze, and he seemed to be just as incapacitated looking in to my eyes. Just thinking about those gold eyes made a blush creep over my cheeks, and I felt a nervous fluttering in my stomach. What is this feeling? I have never felt this around Aang before... I stood up quickly and headed back out the door, I knew what I needed to right now. I had to talk to him, I had to know what went on between us just now in the library.

I darted out of my door and rushed down the narrow hallway and into that open room where I stopped dead in my tracks. Sokka and Suki had finally left that chair and had joined a straight-faced Toph in comforting a tearful Aang. Their conversation had stopped the moment I had stepped foot into the room, leaving us all in a heavy silence. Toph must have realized that humor had no place in this kind of situation and tried her hand a subtlety,

"Hey Sokka, Suki, you guys missed out on a great tour, this place is so incredible. How about I show you two around?" Toph said quickly

"Toph why would we wa-" Sokka's reply went unheard as Suki slapped her hand around his gaping mouth.

"That would be great Toph, thanks!" Suki said cheerily. She wrapped one arm around Sokka's waist and tugged him out of the door, followed quickly by a silent Toph.

I had kept my eyes on the trio until I was left staring at the closed double doors. I couldn't bare to look at Aang. All of my anger was long gone, and now I only felt guilt and shame for hitting him. But Aang was not going to let me get off quite so easily. He walked right up to me, took my chin in his hand, and forced me to look him in the eye. I saw a lot of anger in those eyes. But, strangely, that was not the only emotion swirling around there. There was something else, I just could not identify it yet.

"How do you feel about me Katara?" Aang asked. He gently released my jaw so I could answer him.

"...I care a lot about you Aang, you know that." I whispered after a moment, dropping my eyes. Aang was not buying that answer, he turned away from me and sat down in one of the fluffy chairs.

"You know what I mean Katara. How _exactly _do you feel about me?" He asked bluntly.

This is not the conversation that I wanted to have right now. What I wanted to do was to go find Zuko and ask him what had happened between the two of us in the library, because I really do not know what to think. However, I don't think that Aang was going to let me leave until we talked about out deteriorating relationship. Fine. Now was as good a time as any to talk this out...I guess. I sighed and walked over to the chair facing his and sat down delicately.

"Aang...you mean a great deal to me," I started out slowly, "And I do love you...you are my best friend, the best friend I have ever had really. But... the love I feel for you...is not what I thought it was. I am so sorry Aang..but ...the love I have for you, feels a whole lot like the love I have for Sokka, now that I think about it. You feel more like a brother to me than anything else. I'm sorry Aang." I finished quietly. I was looking at everything in the room besides him, I expected him to be very angry with me, and that he would start shouting at me at any moment. I really do love Aang. The very thought of hurting him caused a sharp pain to stab at me heart mercilessly.

"And how do you feel about Zuko?" I heard him question.

Annoyance flashed through me, this was NOT about Zuko.

"Why the hell does it ma-" I lost my ability to speak when I looked back into his eyes. There was no trace of anger left in those clear eyes. There was sadness, plenty of sadness, but there was no hint of anger of jealousy.

"Aang?" I asked softly, my voice concerned.

"Do you feel about Zuko, the way I felt about you?" He repeated, the sadness evident in his voice.

I was trying to figure out how to answer this question, because I was not sure myself, plus I noticed that Aang had said felt, not feel, he seemed to be taking this so well. I really hope our friendship will survive this. I finally decided to stick to the truth.

"I don't know." I said with a shrug of my shoulders, "I don't think so, but...I don't know...I just feel so lost right now." I know that he could see the confusion in my face, and hear it in my voice because he did not press me for an answer. I looked down at my lap and cradled my head in my hands. I heard Aang get up out of his seat and walk towards me. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I felt him sit beside me on the wide seat and wrap an arm around my shoulders. I lifted my face up to look at him.

Guilt.

That was the other emotion I had seen earlier but could not identify. He felt guilty.

"I am so sorry Katara." He whispered gently.

I could only stare at him.

"I was forcing you to be in a relationship that you did not feel sure about. Then I upset you by getting jealous over Zuko, when you yourself didn't know what to think about the situation, I am very sorry. Right now you feel frustrated and confused, and that's all my fault. You're my best friend and I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have." He finished in a soft voice.

"Wow," I thought to myself, "Aang is a lot more mature that I ever gave him credit for."

"I'm so-" Aang's hand clamped over my mouth before I could apologize to him.

"You do not need to say you are sorry to me Katara. This whole fight was my fault, I deserved to get slapped." He said with a smirk. He lifted his hand away from my mouth, I smiled at him and lifted my hand to his face, caressing his still red cheek.

"You may have deserved it, but I am still sorry." I whispered. He smiled at me and touched his forehead to mine closing his eyes, I closed my eyes too.

"I forgive you for slapping me in the face Katara." He whispered lightly, his warm breath dancing across my skin.

"And I forgive you for making me feel confused." I replied. I heard him chuckle as his arms began to wind around me, pulling me close. I returned his warm embrace fiercely. This is what I _really _needed right now, reassurance from my best friend, in the form of a warm hug. We stayed like that for a long, long time.

When we finally did break away, I felt so was how it was meant to be, Aang and I were made to be best friends. I looked into Aang's eyes and I saw there was understanding. There was sadness in his eyes too, but it wasn't for losing our relationship. He was sad because he knew I was confused, and that I also felt guilty for hurting him.

"Thank you so much Aang. You really are the best friend that I have ever had." I whispered. A bright smile lit up his face, and his eyes were shining with a warm light. I really loved it when this boy smiled like that, he looked so innocent despite all that we had been through. Any room seemed to light up when he was happy, he was like sunshine, you can't help but smile when basking in it's warm glow.

"This is how it's supposed to be isn't it?" He asked, still beaming at me. "It feels like it was are destiny to be friends, doesn't it?" I gave him a warm smile and hugged him again. And when we pulled away from each other, we stayed on that chair and talked. We did not talk about anything important, just little things. I tied my hair back again while we chatted idily. We kept talking until the sun had set and the moon began it's slow ascension into the clear night sky. I felt so at home.

**Zuko**

Toph and I stared after Katara's retreating form, our jaws practically brushing the red marble floor. Aang just stood there, his red face still turned in the opposite direction. His hands were clenched into tight fists, the skin over his knuckles pure white. I watched as he slowly closed his eyes, and tears began to leak down his cheeks. Aang stood that way for what seemed like hours. I could almost feel the turmoil coming off of him in waves. All I could do was stand and stare at him. Trying to comfort him would probably not be such a good idea. His hands suddenly relaxed, and his shoulders slumped. He opened his eyes and slowly turned to look at me.

I automatically took a step away from him. I had never seen a glare with so much venom in it, and with so much pain beyond that hate. It looked like Katara had just torn out Aang's heart through his chest with her bare hands.

Aang and I stood staring at each other while tears continued to drip down his face. I didn't know what to do. Toph and I stood still as stone, waiting for something to happen, for _anything_ to happen.

Aang finally broke eye-contact with me and headed in the direction that Katara went. I stood staring at his back until he disappeared.

"Was he crying?" Toph asked my softly as soon as Aang had turned a corner, "I couldn't tell."

"Yeah," I said just as softly, "He was crying." Toph let out a heavy sigh and went off in the same direction

"I'll be in my room" She called over her shoulder. All I could do was nod. I didn't want to risk bumping into Aang right now, so I turned and headed back into the library. The dim light was comforting as I wound my way through the maze. I soon found myself back at that little windowed alcove.

"What was I thinking?" I asked myself. "...I was thinking about how beautiful Katara was when her face was bathed in sunlight...that's what I was thinking." I sighed and sat down heavily onto the cushioned seat cradling my head in my hands, trying to sort through my feelings. Katara is my friend, Aang is my friend, and Mai is my girlfriend. Thinking of Katara as something more than just a friend (which she isn't) would only hurt Aang and Mai. Besides, there is nothing going on between us in the first place...Right?

Immediately my thoughts found their way back to that moment when I became lost in Katara's bright blue eyes. The moment when I stepped closer to her to sweep her hair back, and she blushed. And the moment when I grazed her cheek with my fingers, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. I also thought of the delicate shudder that wracked her slender frame as I whispered her name.

My whole head was spinning, and I was completely breathless.

"I have to get a hold of myself" I said anxiously. What is going on? I jumped up and began to pace back and forth in front of the window. Why is this happening to me? How exactly do I feel about her? How does she feel about me? How does she feel about Aang? What was I doing touching her like that? Why did she let me touch her like that? Why did I whisper her name like that? Why did she shiver when I did? Why was she blushing? Why was I blushing?

Question after never ending question darted through my mind, making my head spin and my hands shake. I stopped pacing and sat down again. I sat with my back to the wall, my legs drawn to my chest, my arms hugging them closer. I couldn't help it...I began to quake, shudders wracking my body, leaving my muscles taut and strained.

"What the hell is happening to me?" I whispered in a strained voice. My head kept buzzing with questions. I could barely breathe, and it felt like my whole body would shatter from the tension I felt.

I thought of the look on Katara's face as Aang told her they should leave, she had looked so angry. Why was she so angry? Why did she want to stay so badly? Was it because of me?

"And why would she want to stay for me?" I asked myself. No, she wants to stay because she had spent a year being hunted down by the Fire Nation as she tried to help Aang become the Avatar. Hell, I was the one doing most of the hunting! She is here because she fought Azula, and was now covered with scrapes and bruises, that she will be able to heal herself as soon as her strength returns. That is why she wanted to stay, because she is tired and here she can rest, she doesn't need to run away any more. If they went back to Ba Sing Se now, she would be helping the Order of the White Lotus rebuild the city, and she just doesn't have the energy to do that now. That's the only reason she wants to stay.

I thought back to the moment when I gently brushed my fingers against her cheek, and let my thoughts linger on how soft her face felt beneath my fingertips. Immediately I felt the tension draining away from my body. I rested my head on the wall behind me, and let out a soft sigh.

"She really is beautiful, isn't she?" I thought to myself, letting a small smile cross my lips. I shook my head to clear it of such thoughts and sighed again.

I glanced down and noticed an open book on the floor next to the towering stack that Katara had made. I picked it up and glanced curiously at the open pages. This must be the book she was reading when I first saw her sitting here. I started to read the pages.

It was a book that I had never read before. I started to read the open page, it was about some woman trying to confess her love to a man, whose friend she was supposed to marry. I flipped the book back to the first page and started to read.

"I wonder if Katara liked this book so far" I thought idly. I continued to read the book, and soon I was immersed in the story. It was beautifully written, and very touching. This woman wanted nothing more that to be with the man she loved, but obstacle after obstacle kept getting in the way. To many people depended on her decision, and if she did what she wanted to do, than she would be letting down all of her friends and family. I kept reading, turning page after page after page. I read and read and read. The sun had gone down long ago, but that didn't stop me, I grabbed a nearby lantern and flicked a finger at the wick, causing the area around me to be filled with a soft wavering light. I kept reading, completely engrossed in the story.

I couldn't stop.

It was like a compulsion. Would this woman end up with the man she loved? Or would she make the decision that would please everybody else, ignoring her heart? I just had to find out. She had to follow her heart, she just had to. I don't know what I would do if she didn't, it felt like my whole life was riding on her decision, like my life would shatter into a million tiny pieces that could never be put back together again if she didn't. I kept turning the pages furiously. It seemed like she would follow her heart at first, but as I neared the end of the short novel it seemed less and less likely. I was on the second to last page, but now I could barely bring myself to keep going.

I slowly turned the page and looked down and the spidery text.

She didn't. She didn't choose to end the engagement and be with the man that she truly loved. Instead she did what made everyone else happy. She had never even confessed her love to the man, who so clearly loved her.

I could not believe it.

"Dammit!" I screamed. I jumped up and threw the book to the other side of the library with all of my might, where it hit the opposite wall with a loud *THUNK* Then I released a thick jet of flame after it, scorching the wall and floor.

I was sweating profusely, and I was practically hyperventilating. I sunk down to my knees, my face buried in my hands. The ending had hit me so hard, it had struck a chord deep within me. That book was my life written out on pages, and bound in leather. And now it was over.

"She would never choose me." I thought to myself. Now, once again, all I could think about was, _her._

"Katara" Her name whispered through my mind.

The longer that I thought about it, the more obvious it became. I have to admit it to myself...I like Katara. A lot. Too much. And she doesn't like me, not like I like her anyway. The only reason she blushed when I said her name was because she was embarrassed, by me. She has Aang, and I have Mai.

But I knew that I would choose her over Mai in a second.

"Oh Katara," I whispered aloud, "What are you doing to me?"

"What do you mean?" Said an all to familiar voice.

**Katara**

After hours of talking with Aang, I decided that I really should go and talk to Zuko. I gave Aang another hug, and a sisterly peck on the forehead, and headed out the broad double doors. The sun had gone down a long time ago, and now the halls were lit by soft candlelight, casting long shimmering shadows across the stone walls. This palace was even more beautiful at night. I felt so at home here, everything was so elegant, and gorgeous, you just could not help but fall in love with this place. I wandered around corner after corner. The trip to the library took even longer in this dim light, and after ten or fifteen minutes I came upon the library doors. I opened them quietly and peeked in, everything was dark. I could just barely make out a light in the vast reaches of the seemingly endless room. I made my way towards it slowly, straining my ears for the slightest sound, and trying to let my eyes adjust to the velvety blackness. As I came closer I stopped dead in my tracks and nearly jumped out of my skin, my hand automatically flying up to the blue pendant around my neck. I had heard somebody curse loudly, followed by a great crash, and the crackling sound of flames, and then the smell of something burning. I edged closer to the light.

"Oh Katara, what are you doing to me?" I heard a familiar voice ask weakly. I stepped around a bookshelf and into a pool of candlelight.

"What do you mean?" I asked Zuko. His head whipped up to the sound of my voice. He was shaky, sweaty, and he was sitting on the floor.

"Zuko!" I exclaimed, "What are you doing on the floor? What happened? Are you okay?" The questions zipped out of my mouth faster than he could answer. I rushed over to him and set my hands on his shaky shoulders. With some effort I pulled him up off of the cold dusty floor, slung his arm around my shoulder, and wrapped my other arm around his waist. He allowed me to slowly tug him towards the cushioned seat in the small alcove I had occupied earlier today. He was not looking at me, and his face was a deep scarlet color that did not look at all healthy. I sat him carefully onto the seat, the sat down beside him. I was rubbing his back in slow soothing circles, trying to get him to calm down enough to tell me what was wrong. He was shuddering and seemed like he could barely breathe. He took several deep breaths, and then asked me shakily,

"What are you doing in here Katara?" Just the sound of his voice sent shivers sweeping up my spine.

"Well, I came here looking for you Zuko." I replied.

"Really? What for?" Zuko asked me in a breathey voice. What is he playing at? He knows exactly why I came looking for him. I can't believe he is going to make me say it.

"Well, I kind of wanted to talk to you about what happened...in here...today...between...umm...us..." I managed to choke out. My face was was hot, and my hands were trembling slightly.

"Oh." He stuttered.

We sat facing away from each other for several agonizingly long minutes, neither of us having the guts to look at the other.

"I'm sorry." He finally said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well...that...I made you...umm...feel so...uncomfortable." He spluttered, still looking away from me.

"Uncomfortable?" I questioned, confusion painted across my face.

"Yeah, I didn't mean anything by it...by...you know...doing what I did. I was only brushing your hair back. That's all. I mean...I have Mai...and everything. I didn't mean to make you feel like I was...flirting...with you...or something." His strained ramblings stabbed at my heart. So that is how he feels. It was nothing, nothing at all.

"Of course" I said in a husky voice. "I just came down to make sure that you understood that." My voice broke on the last word. I could feel tears pricking at my eyes. Zuko's head swiveled toward me at the sound of my voice. But I didn't waste a glance in his direction. I stood up swiftly and walked out of that library as quickly as I could. He didn't follow me.

"And why would he?" I scolded myself as I walked back along the shadowy halls. "He is in love with that gloomy girl." How could he love someone who practically felt nothing! She always looks bored out of her mind, even when she is fighting. She has no feelings whatsoever, and she isn't even pretty, or smart, or funny. She is just dull. And creepy too! Who carries around knives hidden up your sleeves all the time? WHO DOES THAT! Nobody normal thats who!

"Mai." I practically hissed her name. I slowed my pace as I neared the main hall, the trip had only taken a few minutes at this rate. Why should I care anyway? Zuko has made it clear that he doesn't like me. Why the hell should I care who he likes?

"It doesn't matter anyway." I told myself. "He has that...freak, to keep him company. Besides I don't even really like him."

"Then why are you so hurt and angry?" A little voice whispered through my mind.

"Oh just shut the hell up!" I screamed at the stupid annoying voice. I was getting closer and closer to the hall so I stepped up the pace, the click of my slippers harsh against the marble floor. I pulled open those huge double doors and stepped in, shutting them sharply behind me. The open room was empty, and all of the candles had been extinguished. I stood in the dark for a few moments, letting my eyes adjust to the weak moonlight that the windows let in and tried to make my way to my room without running into, trippring over, or breaking something. My hands waved around in front of me, making sure that I wouldn't run into a wall, or a chair. Just as I thought everything was going okay my shins bashed into, what I assumed was, the buffet table. I let our a few low curses but continued on into the hallway that led to my room. I reached the doors quickly and threw myself into my room shutting the doors quietly behind me. I stood in my dark room unmoving.

"I have never felt so vulnerable in my life." I whispered to my empty room. I have always been so level headed, I do not go around trying to telling guys that I think I may like them. And when Zuko basically said that he had absolutely no interest in me...it hurt. I slid down against the door, and drew my knees tight to my chest. I felt so humiliated. Tears of anger and embarassment began to slip down my blushing cheeks. Rejection was washing through me, stong and true. I let out a shaky sigh that sounded more like a sob, and began to crawl towards the general direction of my bed.

"DAMMIT!" I screeched as my head bashed into something. Ouch. My bed had been a lot closer than I had realized. I stood up and began to strip off my clothes, tossing the fine kimono and the white sash into a crumpled heap onto the floor. I pulled off each slipper and threw them with all the strength I could muster to the other side of the room. Then I ripped that stupid red ribbon out of my hair painfully and tossed it on the floor near the kimono. I didn't bother trying to make my way over to the dresser which probably held some night clothes in it, and instead I just climbed up onto the large bed wearing only my soft underwrappings. After slipping under the silk covers I turned on my side and let the tears come once more.

A/N- I really wasn't sure how I should have had Aang handle the break-up, I really wanted him and Katara to still have a close relationship, and I hate having Aang be bitter, so I hope I handled it alright. And I was thinking about adding some Taang in later on...not sure yet. Thanks for reading! It might be a while before I am able to update agian, I'll try to have the next one up as soon as things start to slow down a bit. Please review!


	3. Deadly Dreams and Midnight Marvels

Chapter 3 - Deadly Dreams and Midnight Marvels

*I (unfortunately) Do Not Own Avatar The Last Airbender In Any Way, Shape, Or Form (And You Would Know If I Did, Because There Would Be A Lot Of Zutara!)*

A/N- I am dedicating this chapter of Breathless to Crazy-Little-Doll, thanks for the encouragement, the ideas, and for our conversation concerning the hottness of certain animated characters and the suckiness of writer's block :)

A/N- Oh and sorry that it has taken so long to update, I've been really busy lately, and plus I have just discovered the sheer awesomeness of the anime Bleach, so I hardly have any time to write at all :)

**Zuko**

"Why was she so upset?" I thought to myself. "She shouldn't be so upset." I was doing the right thing here dammit! She was probably just still upset from having a fight with her _boyfriend_. What was so great about him anyway...well...aside from being the Avatar that is?...

"He's thirteen." I muttered, "And he acts like he's eight." I mean sure I was seventeen, and that isn't much older that him. And Katara is fifteen, so we are all roughly around the same age...Aang can be pretty mature and wise sometimes...But the rest of the time it's me and Katara who are the level headed ones...Suki is pretty mature too, and she's sixteen. Well Sokka is sixteen and he doesn't act mature...unless there's trouble. Toph is pretty mature no matter what situation we are in, she's just really coarse and sarcastic, and _she's _thirteen just like Aang. Yet all of us (aside from _Aang_) act a whole lot older then we really are...most of the time. Katara always takes care of everybody, she is more like Aang's mother then anything. She deserves to be taken care of for a change. And she can't look to a thirteen-year-old kid for guidance, and protection. _I_ could take care of her, _I _could give her the protection she needs. If only she would let me. If only I could tell her how much I want to be the one to watch out for her...though truthfully, she is one of the last people on this planet who needs protection.

I smiled to myself as I thought about her. She's so stubborn, and driven. She acts strong when she needs to, but I know that there is a part of her that needs to be protected just like everybody else. I want so badly to be her protector. What does she really see in Aang anyway?

"_Aang_" I muttered the name under my breath like a curse. All of my problems are completely _his _fault. "Annoying little brat." I kept cursing Aang as I slowly stood up from the puffy red seat, and with a flick of my wrist the candle light extinguished. I held out my palm to the darkness, and a small ball of flame sprung out to cast flickering shadows onto the library walls. I kept the small flame close to my chest, shielding it from any drafts. I kept cursing Aang to the darkest depths of Hell as I slowly made my way out of the enormous library. I was in no hurry to go back to my room, I might run into Aang or Katara.

It seems like anytime I start to think about Katara, I just can't stop. First I start to think about things we have done together, like searching for her mother's killer, or when we were traveling on Appa's back to go and fight Azula. Then I start to think about things we have shared with each other, like when we were talking about our mother's in Ba Sing Se. Then my mind will start to stray to the hugs we've shared. And soon enough I got caught up in the way that she felt in my arms, and then all I can think about is how much I want to hold her again, how much I want to reach out and take her, and never ever let her go.

"When did I start thinking about _anyone _like that?" I asked myself in disbelief. "Am I getting that soft and mushy?"

"Maybe because you have never felt this way before..." A voice whispered through my mind. I heaved a heavy sigh and tried to distract myself.

What about Mai?...Now that question distracted me well enough. Can I really continue a relationship that my heart isn't in?

"Maybe I should talk to Uncle about this..." I wondered aloud. My footsteps echoed through the halls as neared the large double doors. I opened them silently and, to my relief, found the large room dark and empty. I gave my little flame a bit more juice to light my way. However as I neared the hallway leading to my room, I stopped. I could hear someone crying. I followed the sound and found myself heading toward Katara's room. I pressed my ear to her door, and sure enough I could hear her sobbing softly. The sound was heart-breaking. I couldn't stand to listen to it.

I spun on my heels and tiptoed away back towards the hallway that led to my room as quietly as I could. As soon as my room was in sight I waved away my flame. I doubled my pace, wrenched open my door, and threw myself inside where I began to pace back and forth my mind racing. Katara made me feel so out of control, I had really gotten a grip on my anger, and it had been a while since I had exploded. But that..._woman,_ always brought my feelings straight to the surface.

"Dammit. Why the hell is she crying?" I wanted to rage and storm about, but I made an effort to keep my voice soft so nobody would wake. "She has no reason to cry. She's the one who doesn't want to be with me, she said so." I said in a hard voice.

"And just _what_ makes you think that she is crying over _you_?" A snide voice whispered in the back of my head. Yeah. Why would she be crying over me?

"She wouldn't be." I whispered to my room. She came to the library to make sure that I was not flirting with her. She even _said_that was why she was there. So no, of course she would not be crying about me. She is probably just still upset with Aang, or she might have had a fight with Sokka or Toph of something. I stopped pacing and sighed. I should really go to bed. I headed toward my massive canopy bed kicking off my boots as I went. I slid my robes off of my shoulders, and tore my shirt off over my head, leaving a trail of clothes in my wake. I was much to tired to hunt around for night clothes in my dresser. I collapsed onto my bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

That night I dreamed about the Fire Nation Siege of the North Pole, when I came upon Katara, who was guarding Aang's body in the Spirit Oasis. She was such and amazing fighter, deadly and beautiful all at once. I heard myself threaten her and I watched her as she sent wave after wave of icy water towards me. The almost full moon gave her such power, and no matter how many balls of flame I shot at her she easily defended herself, and attacked me with blasts of cold water. I felt myself being blown backwards and then being frozen into place. Then I saw Katara's arms move swiftly and intricately as a huge dome of water surrounded me and froze into an icy globe.

"You little peasant, you've found a master haven't you?" I heard myself snarl at her as I broke through the globe with a firery blast. I ran towards her attacking over and over but I could not seem touch her, she blocked every attack and kept fighting fiercely. We were very close to each other now but still I could strike no blow. I ducked around her quickly to grab Aang's collar, but before I could get a grip on him, Katara spun around quickly and sent a wave of water at me, blasting me backwards. I crashed into a wall and fell onto my back. But she didn't stop, she sent me flying up the wall with a river of ice, locking me into place. However, before she could strike again the sun rose, and with it, my power. I glared at her as steam poured out through my nostrils, melting the ice, allowing me to slide down. When I landed onto the grass I found myself sprinting towards her again sending a wall of flame towards her. She tried to block my attack, but the force of the flames was too much for her, and she was sent careening out of the way and crashing into a wooden post, knocking her unconscious. I grabbed Aang's collar and looked back towards her limp body.

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun." I told her harshly. I traveled out into the frozen tundra carrying Aang over my shoulder. My mind skipped over to the next fight with Katara hours and hours later, when she, Sokka, and Yue found me hiding out from the fierce blizzard that was raging across the frozen land.

"Here for a rematch?" I sneered at her as she hopped down off of Appa and walked toward me.

"Trust me Zuko, it's not gonna be much of a match." She told me. I sent a blast of fire towards her, but unfortunately for me, the moon had already risen...and this time, it was completely full. She easily blocked me and then sent me flying back, sending me high up into the air in a pillar of ice and then bringing me back down, hard, causing my world to go black.

I awoke with a start, bolting into a near upright position. I had thrashed around in my sleep and my legs were tangled in my sheets, so I couldn't sit up completely. I was sweating and panting, trying to get my breath back. I was reliving my past, but it felt more like a nightmare. I had felt an intense fear during both of those fights with Katara...a fear of hurting her. Of course I hadn't felt it during the actual fight at the North Pole, I had been too consumed by the thought of capturing the Avatar to feel anything other than anger, but during that dream, dread had descended into my heart and would not let go.

"What the hell was I thinking?" I asked myself, "I could have hurt her."

Wait. No, I could not have hurt her. Katara is an amazing warrior, and an incredible bender. I do not have to worry about her safety, she can handle anything. I started to remember all of the times we had sparred together, trying to teach Aang how to deal with certain attacks. She never went easy on me, and I never went easy on her. Sure sometimes we walked away bleeding, or in her case singed a bit, but it was nothing neither of us couldn't handle. We had all sustained much worse injuries before, it was never a big deal. I always felt rather pleased with my self when she could not block my attacks, because I always knew that if she had not made some small mistake that I would not have touched her. Katara always smiled when we sparred, because she knew neither of us were holding back, it was more like a real fight, and it was exhilarating. Nothing could compare to our little bouts.

I laughed softly to myself and laid back down trying to get a few more hours of sleep, but unfortunately the dream and all of my reasonings had left me wide awake. I sighed heavily and sat back up. Maybe I'll go for a walk...

**Katara**

I do not know just how long I laid in bed and cried, it felt like is not me. I am stronger than this. I do not go around sobbing inconsolably, sure if I'm really upset I'll cry, but it is not like me to just lie there letting the grief just wash over me and do nothing.

"What is he doing to me?" I cried into my pillow. I try to be strong, but he makes me feel so weak! I hate to feel like I am not in control. I always try to be calm, and level-headed, and strong. But when I am around Zuko...he makes me want to fall into his arms, and let him protect me. I do not need to be protected, there is almost nothing that I cannot handle! I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow. All of this crying had left me exhausted, I sighed heavily and drifted off into oblivion.

That night I dreamed about being trapped in the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se with Zuko. It was more of a memory that a dream, everything felt so real, I could remember the emotions I felt when I was there with such clarity, that it felt like I was reliving the experience.

I was pacing back and forth in my crystal prison, when I heard a rumbling noise from above. The door I was pushed in through opened,

"You've got company" Said one of the Dai Li. Another one of the agents held onto my struggling "visitor," pushing him through the door. The figure tumbled down and landed at my feet.

"Zuko!" I said surprised, but the feeling was quickly replaced by anger. Here was that lousy excuse for a human being that had been hunting us down trying to capture Aang for months. He sat down and turned away from me.

"Why did they throw you in here?" I demanded, "Oh wait, let me guess, it's a trap. So when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches." He turned and glanced at me for a moment, then turned away, refusing to speak.

"You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar. Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace!" He still would not speak. "But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son, spreading war, and violence, and hatred is in your blood." I spat at him.

"You don't know what you're talking about." He finally growled at me.

"Oh I don't? How dare you? You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." I could feel the tears burning their way down my cheeks and dripping off of my chin, I turned my back on him and kneeled down on the ground.

"I'm sorry," he said as I began to sob softly, "That's something we have in common." I stopped crying and looked over at him, wiping my tears away. We both stood.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." I said gently.

"It doesn't matter." He told me.

"It's just that, for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy...it was your face."

"My face...I see" He said as his fingers reached up to touch the scar on his face.

"No, no that's...that's not what I meant" I tried to explain

"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me, the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized that I am free to determine my own destiny...even if I'll never be free of my mark." He said softly.

"Maybe you could be free of it."

"What?" He said in disbelief.

"I have healing abilities" I told him.

"It's a scar, it can't be healed." He said sadly. I pulled out the amulet I kept tucked around my neck and held it up to him.

"This is water form the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole." I explained, "It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important." I went on, "I don't know if it would work, but.." Our eyes locked and we stared at each other for an immeasurable moment. His eyes drifted shut, and my hand reached out to gently touch his scar. But before I had the chance to do anything else, a wall to the side of us burst open, and there was Aang who had come to my rescue. My mind skipped ahead to the following fight with Azula, when Zuko chose her over us...over me.

A orange blast appeared between Aand and Azula, and Zuko stepped forward, his eyes glanced between his sister and the Avatar. He turned and began to attack Aang, while Azula turned toward me shooting blast after blast of blue fire. During my fight, I looked over and watched as Zuko produced long firery whips that he attacked Aang with. Azula chased after me as I sent a wave of water towards her that she barely avoided, slicing off a single lock of her hair. I encased my body in water and resumed my assault on the Fire Nation princess, she struck out at me, but I trapped one of her arms in my watery grasp, followed by one of her legs. But just as I was about to take her down, Zuko sliced through my water traps with his fire whips, Azula smiled as she ran off after Aang, leaving me to fight Zuko.

"I thought you had changed!" I screamed at him attacking his fire with my own water whips.

"I have changed." He yelled back at me, we continued to attack each other but Azula sent a huge blast towards Aang that sent him flying backwards into a crystal wall, knocking him out. Azula then turned her sights on me, and the two firebenders came at me as one. I tried to defend myself but Azula was to powerful and I was sent flying into a wall of crystals from the force of her attack, making my world turn black.

I awoke from my nightmare with a sharp sob tearing at my chest. During the dream I had felt so angry and hurt...and betrayed. I was the first person who had trusted Zuko, and then he turned around and betrayed me. He had seen me at my most vulnerable, but all I had wanted to do was help him, to be strong in front of him, and make things better. When he joined Azula in that fight, I felt weak. And when he rejected me in that library this morning, I felt weak.

"I am strong dammit!" I all but screamed into my pillow. "I don't need him!" I was shaky and sweaty and I felt so lost and out of control. Why should I care so much about him anyway? He went out of his way to make sure that I understood that what happened in the library was nothing... nothing at all.

It was to hot in this bed, I felt like I was suffocating. I grasped my pillow and threw it away from me and kicked at my covers until they slid off over the side of the bed. It was still too hot, I was practically panting, and my under-wrappings and breast-band were clinging to my body uncomfortably. I could not stand it any longer, I rolled over on my back sat up, swinging my long legs over the side of the bed. I sighed in relief as my feet touched down onto the chilly marble.

"Maybe I should just sleep on the floor." I thought to myself. I quickly dismissed the idea, if someone should walk into my room in the morning they would be very concerned that I was sleeping on the floor. Instead I blindly made my way over to where I thought the windows were tripping slightly over my discarded blankets.

"OUCH!" I screeched. My hands flew up to cover my mouth. Hopefully nobody heard that. I had ran into my dresser. My hands came down from my face and stretched out before me, trying to keep myself from running into anything else. My fingers collided with the wall, and I held back another yelp of pain. I moved around the wall trying to find the heavy drapes that blocked out all light. It took a while, but eventually my hand brushed against the soft material and I wrenched open the curtains, letting the room be filled with soft moonlight. The moon was almost full tonight, and I let her calming power wash over me. My breathing slowed to it's normal rate and I felt the tension melt away from body. I felt more tranquil than I had all day, but I knew that despite the moons calming effects that I would not be able to sleep any time soon.

I opened up my windows wide and let the cool night air caress me. The garden that my window overlooked seemed so peaceful in the moonlight. The trees swayed in the soft breeze, and the ripples on the pond sparkled in the dim light. It was so beautiful. Too beautiful to not be apart of. I stepped out onto the small balcony beyond my window and noticed that I was at least four stories up.

"No problem." I smirked to myself. I hopped up onto the railing of the balcony and took a bending stance. I brought a river of water over from the pond and drew it towards me. I froze the water, creating an icy slide down to the grass. I smiled as I jumped down onto the ice and slid agilely down onto the grass. I brought my arms up gracefully and melted the ice and brought it back towards the pond, letting it filter back into its shallow depths. My smile grew wider as I turned my face up to the moon and let her glow shine down on me. I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes feeling all my uneasiness wash away. I stood there for a few minutes, basking in the calm feeling. When I turned around to the pond I still had a bright smile on my face. This is where I belong, under the moon beside a glassy oasis. My hand snaked out in the dim light, drawing a shimmering sliver of water out from the pond. I twisted and waved my hands around delicately, the water following my every whim, curling into intricate twists and fanning out around me. I spun around and my hand lashed out, causing the water to turn into razor-sharp icicles and fly into the bark of the nearest tree, burying themselves deep into the wood. I drew out more water from the pond and continued with my fluid dance, and soon the water was surrounding me me like a tornado, swirling up towards the moon. I clenched my fists and the water froze closing me in a glassy wonderland. With a twist of my wrists the ice shattered, but instead of glassy shards falling around me, fluffy bits of white began to drift down to the earth. Everything within ten feet of me was covered in soft, white, shimmering, snow.

I couldn't help it...I started to giggle. When was the last time I had played in the snow? The last time I remember doing that was when I first met Aang, and we went penguin sledding together. I laughed at the memory. Upon seeing all of this snow, I began to feel giddy, the happiness welling up inside of my heart until it seemed as though it would burst out of me. My smile grew even brighter as I pulled some of the snow into a large pile. Taking several steps back I looked at the pile then launched myself towards it marveling in the feel of the icy bits of fluff covering my scantily clothed body as I sunk into the pile with a hushed cry. I laughed in delight as I tunneled my way out of the pile and jumped to my feet shivering. Sure it was cold, I was only wearing a breast-band, and under-wrappings, which is usually what I wore when I was training, but I was having to much fun to notice the cold. I spread the snow out evenly over the grass and laid down in it fanning out my arms and legs. Snow angels! It had been a long time since I had acted like a kid, and I forgot how much fun it was to just...play.

**Zuko**

The breezy night air felt good on my bare chest, and the cool grass felt wonderful beneath my bare feet as I walked the palace gardens. We have had such warm weather recently, it's good to catch a break from all of that heat. I felt my mind wander to the times when I had walked through these gardens before with my mother. A small smile crept across my face as I remembered chasing her through the grass, and her laughing freely while she dodged around me. I could almost hear her beautiful laughter now, it sounded as if she were just around the corner.

Wait...Somebody_ was _laughing just around the corner...What the...?...Was that?...

"Katara?" I asked myself. That sounded like her, but it's well past midnight...What would she be doing out so late? And why is she giggling? I crept closer towards the trees ahead of me. Yes...that was definitely Katara, she sounded so happy. I stepped behind a tall tree and peeked around the trunk...

"There she is." I breathed. She was laughing, and bending, and...playing? Yes, she was actually _playing_. In is she playing in snow? Why is there snow in the first place? What the hell is she doing playing in the snow naked?...Well, almost naked. She was wearing her underwrappings and a breast-band, her sparring outfit. I watched silently as she bended the snow around her with a huge beaming smile on her face. Occasionally a giggle would burst out of her, and her eyes would shine brightly when the sound crept past her lips. A smile started to spread across my own face as I watched her dancing around gracefully through the white drifts of icy powder. When was the last time that any of us had had any fun around here? Katara definitely had the right idea, it's good to let go every now and then. I stole closer to her, hiding behind trees as I went until I was at the edge of her wintery circle. I slowly bent down to scoop up a mound of snow, quickly ducking behind the tree again to hide myself. I molded the snow into a ball and prepared to peek around the tree again. Katara had her back to me as she bended a huge snow Appa into existence. I carefully took aim, then launched it at the back of her head hiding behind the tree once again.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" Her piercing scream only lasted a few moments, but it was enough to send me to my knees, shaking with laughter.

"Who the-" Katara came rushing over to the sounds of my hysterical laughter covered in snow, apparently she had fallen into her snow bison. "Zuko!" She stared down at me in disbelief, "What the hell are you doing out here? It's past midnight you know! You should have warned me you were here! And why did you throw a snowball at me in the first place? And why don't you have any clothes on? You're gonna catch a cold! And how come-" I had jumped up off of my knees and clamped my hand down over her mouth, stopping her endless tirade.

"Take it down a notch would you Katara." I smiled at her. Her eyes still glared at me, she was very annoyed right now and there was nothing that I found more amusing. I started to laugh heartily again, tears coursing down my face as my shoulders were shook with my convulsive laughter. Now her eyes held fire, and I fell down again rolling on the ground laughing loudly. She glared down at me, one eyebrow quirked up, which only caused me to laugh harder, until my stomach was tight with cramps and I couldn't breathe.

I lay still for a moment, gasping for breath, the occasional giggle bursting past my lips. I had finally got my breathing under control so I looked back up at Katara. She looked pissed, her arms were crossed tightly against her chest, and her left foot was tapping at a very quick pace. I smiled widely up at her and she spun on her heels and stalked away from me. I jumped up, still chuckling, and ran after her.

"Oh come on Katara! Don't be mad, it was just a joke." I grinned down at her. She kept her eyes forward and wouldn't even glance in my direction, I couldn't wipe the grin from my face.

"A joke?" She questioned, "You scared the hell out of me then you laughed at me in my face. Some joke." She said sarcastically.

"Chill out Katara, you need to relax, it's pretty obvious that you can." I smirked at her. A blush began to creep across her cheeks, she knew that I had been watching her play in the snow. She slowed down, the stopped completely, her eyes cast downward. Did I hurt her feelings?I was only messing around...Maybe I should apologize...

"Hey, Katara...I'm sorry if what I d-" My words were cut short as a moutnain of snow crashed down on me. I heard muffled laughter, and I began to burrow out of the drift towards the sound. Man it was freezing! My head popped up to the surface and I looked around bleary-eyed to see Katara still in her bending stance. As she slowly stood up straight again a huge smug smirk began to spread across her lips.

"Oh you did it now." I growled threateningly. Steam poured out through my nostrils and melted some of the snow around me, allowing me to escape from the frozen prison. She backed away from me with a mischievous look in her eyes as I scooped up a small mound of snow in my hands and edged towards her slowly.

"Do it." She smirked at me, dropping once agian into her bending stance. I raised my arm to heave the snow ball at her but before I could her wrist flung out, sending a wall of snow towards me. I dropped the snow in my hand and instead sent a ball of fire towards the wall. After a feirce hissing noise and a puff of steam I could see a huge gash in the icy wall and dove through it towards Katara. Her eyes widened when she saw this and she took a quick step back as I landed in a crouch in front of her. I smirked at her, and suddenly there was a fist flying towards my face. I dove towards the ground and swept my left leg towards her, trying to make her lose her footing.

"So you wanna spar?" I asked her in an amused voice as she leapt into the air dodging my kick. Oh yeah? I thought to myself. Instead of stopping I kept my momentum going and spun agian, pushing off the ground with my hands, my legs still flying towards her. My kick caught her in the stomach this time, but she knew how to take a hit. She leaned away from my kick, allowing my leg to just push her back further into the air. She tucked her knees to her chest and spun backwards once and landed neatly in a kneeling position. I landed in the same position, just to the side of her. When I looked back at her face I saw that she was practically glowing, it had been a while since we had had a good sparring match, and this one was starting to look like a good one. We both stood up slowly and turned to face each other determination burning in our eyes. She raised her arms gracefully and streams of snow began to rise towards her, I held both of my hands out palms up, and flames leapt into existence above them. We stared at each other for an immeasurable moment.

Before I could even comprehend what had happened, I was thrown onto my back and my face was covered in snow. Katara giggled. Shit! The moon is almost full tonight, I forgot. That's fine, I just need to keep close enough to her that I could block any arm movement, that way the fight won't have much bending to it. I hadn't moved an inch as I thought over my strategy, and soon Katara inched closer to me. She was probably thinking that the fall had knocked me unconcious. I kept still and let her inch closer and closer.

"Zuko?" She asked hesitantly. I didn't say a word. "Shit." I heard her mutter. I had to fight off the urge to shiver lying there in the snow in nothing but a pair of pants, but I managed to keep still as she crept towards me and nudged me, with what I assumed was her foot.

"Zuko?" She asked a little louder, she was standing directly over me now. My eyes flew open and I dove towards her. She gasped and I felt her stiffen in my arms as I tackled her to the ground.

"You JERK! I thought I KILLED you!" She yelled in my ear, we were rolling around on the ground trying to pin the other down. She fights dirty, I thought to myself as I felt her teeth sink into my shoulder, I held back a yelp at the pain and dug my elbow into her ribcage.

"Ouch" I heard her growl through her teeth. We both kept kicking and jabbing at each other but neither of us could gain the upper hand for at least half an hour. We were both sweating like crazy, panting, and our limbs were shaking with exhaustion. We were twisting on the ground wrestling when I tried to pin down her arms, unfortunately for me we were so tangled up in each other's legs that I had to push myself away before I could grab her arms, with the new space between us she brought her legs up to her stomach and pushed her feet against chest and launched me away from her. I landed on my back...hard. All of the breath was driven from my body and it didn't help when Katara scrambled over and stradled my thighs. Her hands grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. She had to stretch her arms as far as she could to pin my arms to the ground, so our stomachs were pressed together, and her chest was brushing against mine, our faces just inches away from eachother. I twisted and writhed trying to throw her off me but she wasn't budging. After a few more minutes of struggling she still had me pinned beneath her.

"Just *pant* give it *pant* up *pant* *pant* Zuko." She managed to say. I scowled at her, I still kept thinking of ways to get her off, I knew she would be unbearable to be near for the next few weeks if she won now...

"Dammit" I tried to growl the word, but I was to out of breath to make it sound menacing. I tried to thrash around to try and loosen her hold but, damn she was strong. The extra effort caused us both to gasp even harder, our chests pressing against each other even more, which to be perfectly honest was very distracting. I looked up at her and suddenly I couldn't move anymore. The moon was directly behind her, making it seem as if she had a silver halo. Her eyes were sparkling with the excitement of fighting with every thing you've got, her shoulders were heaving with each tired gasp, and a brilliant smile graced her full lips. Damn she is so beautiful...That's it... I can't stand it anymore...

"Do you *pant* give *pant* up?" She said in a hoarse voice when she felt me stop moving under her.

"No." I whispered to her. Her eyes widened as she took in the low tone of my voice, and she gasped as I brought my face up to hers...

A/N- Oooo, a little cliffhanger type ending XD Thanks for reading this chapter!

A/N- I am sooooo sorry that this took so effing long, I just got back from a vacation to see my whole fam damily, as we say, plus I am being stalked by some Army recruiter guy, and I cannot stop watching that show Bleach (I'm on episode 204) Have you seen that show? It is effing incredible, full of fillers, but it's completely amazering! And it may take even longer to get the next chapter set up...sorry, but my muse is running away to something else, and I must follow...but I promise you that this story WILL be completed...eventually :) And I promise to try real hard to work on the next chapter, cuz I know you are all thinking, what is Zuzu going to do?


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